Are you There Death? It's me, Merlin
by LostInCamelot
Summary: Merlin comes face to face with Death. Literally. And it's nothing like he expected. But he's used to that.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Well, obviously it's not mine!! (Sobs) If it was it definitely wouldn't be a family show :P. Mwa hahahahahahha!!.......Er, sorry about that. I get carried away sometimes.... (Smiles alarmingly) On with the show!!**

**AN: Hey all! This is my first Merlin fic and I'm very excited for it. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Reviews make the SlashDragon happy! (And me:P)**

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The first time Merlin meets the strange cloaked figure is when he was poisoned by Nimueh. At first Merlin had thought it was all a ridiculous dream cooked up by his dying brain, but rather unfortunately, this was not the case.

The last thing he could remember were the terrible, wracking pains as the poison coursed through his system before, curiously, they stopped. Everything had stopped. Time flow was inconsequential as he drifted through the spaces between the worlds. He felt weightless and free, as if all the worlds problems had been lifted off his chest. Problems he didn't realize existed.

Then, suddenly the sensation was ripped away and he quite literally fell to the ground with a solid, and painful, thump.

He groaned and decided that the floor was more comfortable than anything else at the moment and stayed sprawled across it until,

"Well get up, boy!" A raspy voice demanded. "I didn't just grab you from the void so you could drown in your own spit!"

Merlin forced himself to look up and found that he was in a large room with a roaring fireplace. It was unlike any room he had ever seen. Odd objects were littered about the space and Merlin was fairly sure some of the boxes were moving…and making rather irritated noises. He stood to take in more of the mind boggling place and forgetting about the voice made his way over to inspect a large wooden table practically groaning under the weight piled on it.

He picked up a curiously shaped piece of glass. It was white, almost see through and he could see that was something inside. He then noticed the little yellow strip of parchment stuck to the base, that felt odd under his fingers that read, "The first light bulb: Given to me by Thomas Edison, after he almost shocked himself to death."

"Please be careful with that." The voice came again and Merlin fumbled with the object almost dropping it. "It is one of a kind."

Merlin hastily put the thing down and turned to face the fireplace.

A cloaked hand gestured from one the enormous black chairs for Merlin to sit.

"Have a seat then, Merlin. While I have all eternity I don't relish wasting it all here."

Merlin cautiously walked over to the seating area and slowly sat in the chair. He sank back into the strange seat and discovered it to be the most comfortable thing his arse had ever touched.

"There is a lever on the side if you wish to prop your feet up." Said the amused voice.

Merlin's head snapped up to study the owner of the insane room and demand what he was doing here.

The man, at least he sounded like a man, was completely covered in a huge black cloak. Not an inch of him was exposed and Merlin wondered what on earth he was hiding. At his feat was a large weapon that Merlin had never seen before. It was a long wooden stick with a massive, sharp, curved blade attached to the top. It looked horribly lethal and Merlin hoped the man wasn't planning on using it.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. You've done a rather splendid job of that yourself." He said dryly.

"What is it?" Merlin asked, speaking for the first time.

"It's my scythe. Helps me look impressive and scary, no?"

"Er…" Merlin began, unsure of what to say. "Who are you?" Was what he opted to say.

"I am Death." The figure said, impressively.

Merlin arched a disbelieving eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yes, that is so, my malnourished friend. You are in the presence of Death. Try not to be afraid or wet yourself or anything. I just acquired these Lazy Boys," He said patting his chair. "And leather is terribly hard to clean."

"Right." Merlin said with an eye roll.

The man shifted slightly and seemed to rattle as he did so. "Damn, bones," he muttered. "Always shifting out of place." He flicked his wrist to move the cloth from his cloak out of the way, Merlin was momentarily horrified to see that his hand was only bones, before he snapped one of his knuckles into place with a sickening CRACK.

"That's disgusting." Merlin said before he could stop himself.

Death shrugged. "It is what it is and I am what I am."

"Oooook." Merlin said. "So, ah…want to tell me what I'm doing here?"

"Hmm? Oh, no reason, I just wanted to meet you is all. You died and the stars and fates screamed bloody murder for a bit. Startled me so much that I messed up my painting." He grumbled pointing towards a canvas depicting very familiar Lady in a rather suggestive-

"That's Morgana!!" Merlin said aghast.

"Well, she is quite attractive for a human. Almost elf like…I'll have to go back and check her history….what do you know of her parents?"

"Er…enough that I'm fairly sure that neither of them were elves."

"Hmm…must be somewhere in her line, it wasn't too long ago where elves went through a fairly odd mortal phase. Couldn't move fast enough to bed one-"

"You know you can stop talking any time now." Merlin interrupted with an icy glare.

"No need to be so embarrassed, my hormonally repressed friend! Why by this time next year you and the Prince will be-"

"Isn't it against some law that you're not suppose to reveal the future?" Merlin snapped, praying there was such a law.

"Ah," Death said. "So there is. No matter, you'll find out sooner than you think about you and your Prince."

"I know about the destiny lark, ok? That bloody dragon has made that perfectly clear."

Death cocked his head at him and Merlin winced as he heard several bones crack in the process. "Dragon?"

"You know the whole two-sides-of-the-same-coin-Arthur-is-you-destiny-and-you-must-protect-him-it's-all- up-to-you-Merlin-the-world-is-doomed-if-you-don't-succeed-so-you-better-listen-to-me-Dragon." Merlin babbled.

"Hmm, its very impressive you can say all that in one breath." Death said in an off handed voice. "Anyway, yes I know the destiny that you speak of…." He trailed off. "You know hundreds of years from now humans will remember all of your names but get the story horribly, horribly wrong."

"Uh yeah, that great and all…but can I go back yet? You know to Camelot?"

"Yes, yes, in a moment. My you are impatient aren't you?" Death said airily. "We have as long as we want. I can send you back at any moment. You could even send yourself back. Being an Immortal and all you have that power."

Merlin opened his mouth to ask what the hell he was talking about but Death just continued on. "But if you insist I suppose I might as well send you off. Knowing you, you'll break one of my lovely collections."

"Now, wait just a minute!" Merlin demanded. "What do you mean, I'm an Immortal?

Death sighed and rattled as he did. "Does no one tell you anything? Good lord, no wonder you end up in these situations…"He thought for a moment. "Well, my poorly informed friend, I think I'll make it my mission to help you. Being me can be terribly boring and repetitive, but I can't be there ALL the time…" He trailed off again and was silent and still for so long Merlin wondered if he had dislocated something important.

"AH HA!" Death cried making Merlin start as Death jumped to his feet with astounded dexterity for being a bag of bones. "I know just who can help you…" He said moving off to the left side of the room and rummaging through one of the squawking boxes.

"There you are, you grumpy bird." Death said as Merlin approached from behind.

"I say! Be careful!" Shouted an irate voice as Death yanked a pair of clawed feet out of a large wooden box.

Merlin was shocked to see that the voice belonged to a humorously small, scraggly owl.

"Put me down, you bony blockhead!" It cried, flapping its wings, angrily.

"Oh do calm down, Archimedes." Death said dryly. "I have a job for you."

"And what makes you think I'm going to do anything for YOU?" He snapped.

"Because if you do what I ask the curse will be lifted and you can move on to Avalon."

The owls eyes widen. "Well, all right then. What is it this time? Does your cloak need washing? Scythe need cleaning? Or do you want a new game for your Wii?" He asked in a rather insulting tone.

Death shook his head. "Something much more important and noble than that, my feathery friend." He said. "You shall go to the mortal world and help this young man reach his potential."

Archimedes looked at Merlin for the first time. "Who the hell is this then?"

"Erm…I'm Merlin." He said, warily.

"Eh? You? You're Merlin? THE Merlin?!" He asked and Merlin nodded before the bird burst into a fit of laughter.

"Hey!' He said, indignantly. "What is so funny about that?"

"I'm afraid Archimedes has a terrible sense of humour." Death said. "You'll get used to it."

"How am I supposed to keep him?" Merlin asked. "A talking owl is kind of blatant sorcery. Especially one so loud and obnoxious."

Death chuckled and rattled some more as Archimedes hooted incredulously.

"I'm sure the two of you will figure it out." Death said searching through another package before he pulled out a massive metal bird cage out of a box half its size. "In you go, then. I'll send you to Merlin's room."

"I will NOT get in that cage." The owl snapped. "Nothing in this world or in any others could make me-"

Death sighed. "Merlin if you would." He said gesturing towards the ranting bird.

"Gladly." Merlin muttered before his eyes flashed gold and Archimedes was stuffed into the cage with a huge padlock clicking shut.

"Nice touch with that lock, Merlin. They may be hope for you yet."

And before Merlin could say another word he felt himself being yanked, unnecessarily hard, from behind and falling endlessly before he was chucked back into his disturbingly cold body.

The next thing he knew, Gwen was kissing him and a horribly loud squawking noise could be heard emanating from his room.

Merlin groaned and flopped back on the bed.

What on Earth had he gotten himself into this time?

Miles below the Castle the Dragon awoke with a start as he felt destiny shift.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Sighs.**

**AN: A big thank you to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate hearing from you all. Whew. This chapter took on a life of it's own. It's much longer than the first but I suppose thats a good thing. Hope you all enjoy! Reviews are love!  
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Merlin stared at his door with trepidation. He was shivering pathetically with a massive blanket wrapped around his shoulders and desperately wanting to go to bed. The poison, apparently, had rather nasty side affects and having only just woken up a few hours ago, Merlin's body was screaming at him to go to sleep.

Really, he told himself. You shouldn't be afraid. He is only an owl.

"Merlin?" Giaus asked. "What on Earth are you doing, just standing there?" And Merlin could just hear the eye brow raise within the tone of his voice.

"Erm…nothing. Just collecting myself. Good night, Giaus…and thanks."

Giaus laid an affectionate hand on his shoulder. "Good night, Merlin. Sleep well." Giaus told him before shuffling off to jot down notes, undoubtedly, about the Morteus Flower.

Merlin poked his head into the room and was met with a furious glare. He sighed. So much for a quiet night.

He closed the door and padded over to his bed, studiously ignoring the mental decapitation he was receiving from the owl.

"Well, let me out then!" Archimedes snapped. "I refuse to be cooped up in this-"

"Shhh!!" Merlin hissed. "You have to be quiet! Giaus is out there."

"I don't care if the entire Kings army is on the other side of that door! Let me out this instant!"

"What exactly are you going to do if I let you out?"

"Peck your damn eyes out for getting me into this mess!"

"Right…that's not really a good incentive."

Archimedes drew himself up and puffed out his feathers, getting ready to be very loud Merlin imagined, before Merlin held out a hand, eyes flashing gold cast a silencing spell before Archimedes could utter and single word.

Merlin smirked at him as the owls eyes widen in disbelief and anger.

"That'll teach you." Merlin said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Archimedes flapped his wings furiously as Merlin readied himself for bed and the cage tottered dangerously.

'Stop that!" Merlin demanded as he rushed over to catch the falling cage. And before he could pull his fingers away, Archimedes clamped down on them with his beak.

Merlin cried out in pain and surprise and promptly lost his balance, sending himself crashing to the floor with the enormous bird cage falling right on top of him.

"Damnit!" Merlin curse. "Let go of my finger you stupid feathery git!" He spat as he stopped the silencing spell.

Archimedes finally let go of his appendage with a triumphant cry of, "HA! Never mess with me, boy! I always get the upper hand."

"You don't have hands." Merlin snapped as he stood and picked up the heavy cage.

That's when he heard the knocking.

"Merlin?" Came Giaus's voice. "What in God's name is going on in there?"

"Er…nothing!" He called back, throwing the blanket over the cage as Giaus stormed in.

"Why aren't you in bed?" He demanded.

"Erm…I fell out."

"How did you manage that? And so loudly. It sounded like a tree fell in here."

Merlin shrugged.

"And what's that?" Giaus asked pointing to the covered cage behind Merlin.

"What's what?"

"_That!"_ Giaus stressed. "Behind you."

"It's nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nope."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup."

"It certainly looks like something, Merlin."

"Definitely not something." He replied, desperately trying to look innocent.

The cage rattled.

"It just moved!" Giaus said.

"What? No it didn't."

"Merlin, I saw it shift."

"Dunno what you're talking about." Merlin said quickly.

"Let me see it then." Giaus said trying to step behind Merlin.

"But its nothing. Nothing to see." Merlin told him.

"If it's nothing, Merlin, then show it to me."

"But if it's nothing how can I show you?"

Giaus sighed. "You are testing my patients, Merlin. What are you hiding this time?" He asked, wearily, as Merlin back peddled closer to the covered object.

"Really, Giaus. I'm not hiding anything!" Merlin said in earnest. "There is absolutely nothing in this room that shouldn't be." He said with a huge smile.

Unfortunately it was in this moment that he stumbled onto a bit of the blanket that draped on the floor, before tripping over it and sending himself and the cage to the ground all over again.

"You stupid clumsy oaf!" Archimedes yelled as he flapped his wings against the metal bars. "You're going to kill me at this rate."

Giaus merely stared at them, disbelievingly and Merlin's head flopped back onto the floor with a painful thud.

He definitely wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

"So you just _found _him did you?" Giaus asked later on after Merlin finished his, rather well though of, great whopper of a fish tale, of how Archimedes came into his possession.

"Well, I didn't find him talking, obviously. I was out in the forest collecting herbs when I saw him with his wing broken. I fixed it with magic and something went wrong I suppose because when I was done…he could talk."

Giaus sighed. "And you decided to keep him as a pet?"

"Well, I couldn't just leave him there. What if someone discovered him?" Merlin asked as Archimedes protested hotly to being called a pet.

"I'm assuming you want to him to stay here until you figure out how to lift the spell?"

"Er…well…yes?"

He sighed again. "Very well, Merlin. But," he said pointing a finger at him. "No one must ever find out that he talks. Not a soul, Merlin."

Merlin nodded frantically in agreement. "No- I mean yes! Yes! No one will know."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Archimedes demanded. "What if I don't want to stay in this flea bitten hovel?"

Giaus raise an eyebrow at him then turned to Merlin. "You two will have to work this out. I'm not getting involved." He said, echoing Death's words from before.

Giaus rose from Merlin's bed and bit them goodnight before giving them a "be-quiet-or-else-I'll-force-feed-you-vile-things" glare as he left the room.

"Well, isn't he pleasant." Archimedes said, words dripping with distain. "Well!" He snapped. "Let me out then! If you don't I'll make a racket for the rest of the night!"

Merlin closed his eyes with a groan. It was clear that destiny hated him.

It had been a few days since Merlin had fully recovered from the poisoning and he was making his way to Arthur's chambers. Late, as always, though it was Archimedes fault for stealing his clean neckerchief and tunic to make a nest for himself in Merlin's cupboard.

"Bloody bird…" Merlin mutter darkly as he entered Arthur's chamber's, forgoing knocking as usual.

"Who pissed in your porridge?" Was Arthur greeting.

Merlin glared at him as he set Arthur's breakfast down in front of him.

"Good morning to you as well, _Sire_." He said in tones that were not at all respectful and Arthur couldn't help the smile that crept on his face.

"Nice to know, you've fully recovered then, Merlin. You're back to insulting me without actually insulting me."

Merlin rolled his eyes and grumbled something about 'annoying prats.'

"What was that, Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"Nothing." Merlin said brightly. "Nothing at all."

"Yeah right." Arthur said with a grin. "I'd put you in the stocks if I thought it would do you any good."

Merlin smiled slightly, glad that Arthur seemed to have out grown his send-Merlin-to-the-stocks phase. Archimedes would probably come and shit on his head if he ended up there.

"So I think I'll take you for a hunt instead." Arthur said with an evil smirk. "Get everything ready. I want to leave within the hour."

Merlin continued to grumbled about pratly princes for the next 45 minutes.

Three hours later found Merlin still grumbling, but this time about pompous, overly intelligent, irritating birds.

"I told you to stay away!" Merlin hissed up to one of the towering oaks in the forest.

'If you keep on like this little warlock, the Prince will think you're talking to yourself." Archimedes shot back not bothering to hide his amusement.

Merlin was about to tell Archimedes to do something that was physically impossible when he heard Arthur approaching.

"_Mer_lin." Arthur drawled. "Would it be entirely possible for you to hurry the hell up! I would very much like to catch something _today_. I glanced a buck not too long ago. Now come _on!_" He said grabbing Merlin's arm.

"Coming, sire." Merlin grumbled with one last glare at the tree.

Another hour past with Arthur still trying to kill the imaginary buck, as Merlin annoyingly called it.

"I didn't imagine it, you idiot!" Arthur snapped. "It's tracks are all over the place, so obviously it exists!" He said to Merlin as if he were explaining this all to a two-year-old.

Merlin chose not to retaliate, because Arthur was appearing more and more agitated and he was fairly sure the stocks weren't out of Arthur's suitable punishment list yet.

'Psst!" Came Archimedes' hissing voice from above. "Pssssst!"

"Did you hear that?" Arthur asked, looking up.

"Hear what?" Merlin asked. "Your invisible buck?"

Arthur glared at him and moved to walk a head.

"Pssssssst!"

"There it is again!" Arthur said, stopping. "How can you not hear it?"

Merlin shrugged. "There's nothing to hear, Arthur. Are you feeling all right? Maybe we should head back." He suggested, desperately hoping Archimedes would shut the hell up.

"Oh no." Arthur said with a grin. "You're not getting out of this hunt that easily. Come on. We must be getting close to it by now."

They walked for another few minutes until an acorn hit Arthur square on the head and Merlin couldn't stop the snort of laughter that erupted from him.

"Ouch!" Arthur yelped, rubbing were the projectile had struck. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"You see these tall things around us, Arthur?" Merlin said, laughter in his voice. "They're called trees. And sometimes-"

'Yes, yes, I know that!" Arthur snapped. "Just bloody annoying that the stupid thing had to fall on me."

Merlin had the sneaking suspicion that the acorn had been meant for him. Unfortunately, yet hilariously, Archimedes seemed to have terrible aim.

"Maybe we should split up and find this elusive buck." Merlin suggested.

Arthur snorted. "And what will you do if you find it? Irritate it to death?"

Merlin rolled his eyes and began down a path that veered off from Arthur's. "I'll signal you."

"What what?" Arthur called out to him.

"I dunno…listen for an owl or something!" Merlin shouted back, before he lost sight of Arthur.

"All right, you bloody, sodding bird. What is the problem?" He yelled in the direction of the tree tops.

"Come up here and I'll tell you!" He hissed.

"You want me to climb a tree to talk to you? Why can't you just fly down here?" He demanded.

Another acorn came shooting down from the sky and it bounced off his head, painfully.

"Get up here, you dim-witted boy! It's not safe!" He hissed.

"Not safe? What are you-"

"Just get up here!"

The panic in Archimedes voice was obvious and not at all pretend so Merlin quickly scrambled up the nearest tree, until the owl flew over and perched on a branch above his head.

"All right. This had better be good, or else I'll-"

"Arthur's in danger." Archimedes interrupted. "Something's going to try and kill him."

"What?!" Merlin said, outraged. "And you call me up here for a treetop conversation?" He demanded, trying to detangle himself from branches so he could scale down the tree.

"No, you dunder head, I got you up here to save your life!" He hissed. "It's a Morsus." Archimedes explained in a rush. "A forest creature that can change its shape at will. It lures hunters into a trap, usually disguised as prey and then shifts into its natural form."

"Which is?" Merlin asked, fearful of the answer.

"It's head and front quarters are that of a large black wolf but it's back is that of a scorpion, poisonous tail and all."

Merlin cursed and made to climb down again before Archimedes talons grabbed his shirt.

"Stop, you witless warlock, there's more!" He snapped. "It feeds off magical energy. If you go down there it'll attack _you_ and drain you dry."

"Better me than killing Arthur!" Merlin retorted back.

"Would you shut up and let me explain?!" Archimedes squawked. "If you can attack it from above it'll have no defence. That's one of it's weaknesses. It's terrified of heights."

"How can I get to it without going to the ground? Unless you haven't noticed I don't have wings!"

"Use the trees, boy! They will help you."

Merlin stared at him wondering if he'd truly lost his mind and Archimedes sighed.

"You really haven't been told anything have you?" He snapped. "The trees have sprits, you useless lump. Ask them for guidance!"

"Are you serious?" Merlin demanded. "Ask the trees for-"

"Yes! Yes!" He shouted. "And be quick about it! Your precious Prince will catch up to it soon!"

"Fine!" Merlin said shortly. "Er…what am I supposed to do?" He asked.

"Close your eyes and concentrate." Archimedes instructed exasperated. "You'll be able to sense them."

Merlin did as he told and let out a shaky breath as he felt for the trees sprits, feeling slightly foolish as he did so.

He could feel nothing but his own desperate panic for a few minutes until he felt a calm, almost lazy sensation rush over him like a river. He was being pulled in to this feeling and the sense of something _old_ engulfed him and he gasped out,

"I need your help. I need a safe path to the Morsus." His voice sounded odd and distorted to his ears, like there was a sudden echo in the forest.

"Ah…well…that certainly did the trick." He heard Archimedes say as he opened his eyes

Merlin's jaw dropped at the sight before him. The branches of the trees were shifting and bending to form a bloody bridge. The wood was twisting and writhing and groaning as it shaped itself to Merlin's need. Some branches made themselves into a clear walking path and others moved like snakes as they formed themselves into an intricate knots, making a railing beside the path. Leaves created a protective canopy on all sides, as the sun shone through from above and the whole thing seemed to _glow_.

The forest was suddenly so alive with voices, waking from a long sleep, that Merlin felt overwhelmed by the intensity of it.

"_This way_." He heard the wind in the leaves whisper. _"Follow us."_

Merlin didn't waste a minute as he dashed along the makeshift pathway as Archimedes settled himself on his shoulders.

"Well, you really are the genuine article aren't you?" The owl asked, in a fairly stunned voice. "I've never seen the likes of this before."

Merlin chose not to answer and he stumbled along the path as the occasional branch would grab him to hold him steady and prevent a nasty fall.

"There!" Archimedes pointed after a few minutes of desperate searching.

Merlin could see Arthur, bow drawn, approaching a large buck that had stopped to graze in a small clearing directly above where Merlin stood in the trees.

"Damnit!" Merlin cursed as Arthur inched closer to the beast, completely unaware of what was about to happen. "Go distract him!" Merlin hissed at Archimedes.

"What? Why should I-"

"If you don't I'll turn you into something worse that a bird!" Merlin threatened.

Archimedes looking highly insulted before flying off in Arthur's direction and Merlin waited before he heard Arthur cursing and Archimedes hooting and carrying on like a mad man.

"Can you lower me a bit?" He asked the tree he was in.

"_Hold on."_ He heard the whisper in him mind and a branch curled around his waist and slowly descended to the ground. He was still about 50 feet up when it stopped, giving him a perfect view of the buck. _"Be careful, Emrys." _The trees told him.

"Thanks." He mumbled as the creature stiffened, nose in the air, smelling it's surroundings.

It hissed and began to ripple and Merlin watched in horrified fascination as the animal shifted from a harmless deer into a monstrous beast at least five times as big as the buck and infinitely more lethal.

It's massive jaws, dribbled with saliva, and it's razor sharp teeth snapped as it's black lips turned up in a rumbling growl. The matted black fur of the wolf turned seamlessly into the slimy, scale-like body of a scorpion and it's six back legs scuttled and scurried over the ground as it's front paws stamped the fallen leaves in agitation. And if all that wasn't bad enough, it's tail, which was truly petrifying, rose six feet up from its body and whipped around faster than anything Merlin had ever seen.

"That's the most disgusting thing I have ever laid my eyes on." Merlin muttered and he heard the trees agree with him. "I'm going to try and use fire against it. I'll keep it contained though. I won't let it harm you."

"_We know, Emrys. Be quick. Your Prince will return soon."_

Merlin nodded. His hand rose and he let the magic flow through his body. The same tingling sensation lit up every nerve as he said, _"Saetha."_

And a great fireball erupted from his palm and engulfed the Morsus.

The creature flailed and let out a high pitch shrieking noise and Merlin tried his best to contain the writhing beast so the fire wouldn't spread to the trees, so he wasn't paying attention to the Morsus' tail as it thrashed around and it's stinger imbedded itself in the branch that was carefully holding him.

He heard the tree's cry of pain and felt it too. He winced and before the trees could stop him he muttered a spell and was able to drop to the ground.

The Morsus had managed to stamp out the fire and was still smoking as it turned to face Merlin.

"Shit." That summed up his situation rather well he thought as the furious beast charged at him.

A split second before the Morsus was on him he felt another body collide with his and they fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

'Merlin, you idiot!" Arthur hissed in his ear. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked as he hauled Merlin to his feet.

"Watch out!" Merlin shouted and pushed Arthur out of the way as the beast surged between them.

"Gods." Arthur said. "What the bloody hell is this supposed to be?"

"Very deadly." Merlin muttered as monster circled them, calculating its next move.

"Get back." Arthur demanded swinging his sword about, in a heroic fashion. "I'll take care of it."

"Of course you will." Merlin said, rolling his eyes.

Arthur glared at him over his shoulder. "I am trying to save your life, you know. I could just leave you here."

"As if you would." Merlin said and he couldn't help the fondness of his tone as a sudden idea stuck him and he unstraped Arthur's quiver from his back and scrambled to put it on himself.

Arthur response was lost as the Morsus rushed forward again and he slashed at it with his sword, spilling black blood to the forest floor as he did so.

It hissed at him and quick as lightening flung its tail at Arthur catching him in the side and sending him half way across the clearing.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried rushing over to the Prince who lay unmoving on the ground.

He almost made it to his friend before his legs were ripped out from underneath him and he crashed to the ground with the Morsus pouncing on top of him.

"Ugg!" Merlin groaned as the beast's rancid breath hit him in the face. "Back off!"

The Morsus merely roared at him and then seemed to inhale the air around Merlin's person. It let out a noise that distinctly sounded like a _purr_ before readying its tail to strike.

Merlin managed to avoid the first few attacks by rolling to the right as the stinger smashed into the earth inches from his head, getting closer each time.

The Morsus roared in frustration and placed one of its paws on Merlin's chest to keep him from moving.

His magic kicked in instinctively and the trees around him seemed to surge with anger as a large cracking sound ripped through the air and a _half of a bloody tree _rammed into the monster throwing it off Merlin in a spectacular fashion, before a branch reached down to grab him and another to lift an unconscious Arthur into the safety of the tree tops.

"You foolish, idiotic, mentally deficient, sorry excuse for a warlock!" Archimedes shouted as his wings flapped in Merlin's face. "I told you to stay up high!"

"That bloody thing attacked the tree!" Merlin snapped. "I won't have anyone hurt for me!"

The owl sighed. "Yes, yes, I know, but they'll be fine. They've lived hundreds of years before you showed up. They can take care of themselves."

The Morsus roared deafeningly in their direction and Merlin pulled out Arthur's bow and arrows.

"And what do you plan on doing with that?" Archimedes demanded.

Merlin shrugged. "I was hoping for some inspiration." He muttered. "Does it have a weak point on it's body?|

"It's stinger, I believe." Archimedes said as Arthur started to groan and regain consciousness.

"Damnit." Merlin curse. "How do I explain this?" He started to ask before the tree promptly let go of the Prince and he landed on the ground with a thump and a moan. "Not like that!" Merlin said exasperated.

But he needn't have worried, for Arthur was back up on his feet fast as lightening and found his sword.

"Arthur!" Merlin called as he hastily climbed down. "Try and get its stinger! That's the weak point!" He said as he fumbled with the bow and knocked an arrow.

'What the hell are you doing up there?" Arthur demanded as the Morsus circled the bottom of the tree before ramming it, in hopes Merlin would fall out.

Which he almost did if and branch hadn't curled around his legs and caught him upside down so he could have a unique and terrifying view of the monster trying to eat him.

"Distract it!" Arthur called to him. "I'll take care of the rest!"

"Easy for you to say." Merlin mumbled as the tree actually listening to Arthur, dangled him as bait for the Morsus as it began jumping in the air, in hopes of catching Merlin in its teeth.

"Anytime now, Arthur." Merlin said as the beast's teeth snapped mere inches from his head.

That's when, finally, blissfully, he heard the Morsus let out a great shrieking cry of pain and a revolting gurgling noise then it was all silent. Merlin still had his bow drawn and ready as the tree gently lowered him, still upside down, to the ground.

"Er…" He muttered when Arthur found him hanging like that. "Hello."

Arthur raised a hand. "I don't even want to know." He said as Merlin spied the body of the Morsus behind him.

"What did you do?" Merlin asked.

"I did what you said. Went for the tail. Once I cut the stinger off it acted defenceless. It was easy to cut of his head then."

"That's cheerful." Merlin said as Arthur came closer to him his eyes level with Merlin's mouth from where he was hanging.

"And what exactly were you planning on doing up there?" He asked, taking the bow out of Merlin's tight grasp.

"Er…I was trying to get a better spot to aim for its tail. You know how rubbish I am with a sword."

Arthur chuckled. "Yes, that I do. You're not hurt are you?"

Merlin shrugged. "I don't think so." He said then his shoulder gave a great throb and he winced. "Well now that you mention it I think my shoulder is trying to detach itself from my body."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at him. "Can you get down from there or are you stuck?"

"Umm…"Merlin said, before the tree lovingly dropped him to the earthy floor. "Ouch." He muttered rubbing his head as Arthur crouched down beside him.

Arthur reached out and touch his shoulder, which Merlin only realized now was bleeding.

Merlin hissed and cursed. "I didn't even feel it before." He told Arthur.

"That can happen." Arthur said. "In the heat of battle nothing really matters until its over." He explained as his fingers fumbled with the ties of Merlin's neckerchief, before pulling it off.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked.

"I need to wrap this." Arthur explained. "I can't have you bleeding to death on me. I'd need to find a new servant then and I don't particularly want another one." He muttered avoiding Merlin's eyes as he tied the cloth tightly around the oozing cut. "I hope its not poisonous." Arthur said, in what Merlin thought was a worried tone.

"I don't think it is." Merlin said as Arthur helped him to his feet, keeping his hands on Merlin's shoulders to steady him as he stumbled.

"Jesus, you're shaking. Are you sure you're all right?" Arthur asked, giving him a once over, checking for more injuries.

"I'm _fine_, Arthur." Merlin implored and really he was. Just a little shaken up from all the excitement. "I promise."

Arthur locked their gazes and Merlin felt something strange pass between them as Arthur's grip in his shoulders tightened slightly.

"Just…try to be more careful, Merlin." Arthur said in an odd voice that Merlin wasn't used to him using.

Merlin merely nodded as Arthur's hands slipped from his shoulders and he watched as the Prince almost seemed to try and step closer to him, an intense look in his eye.

"Arthur, what-"

But then another acorn fell from the sky, cracking Merlin off the head and the moment was lost as Arthur fell over from laughing.

Merlin sighed.

Fate was _such_ a bitch.


End file.
